Essay 4 - Unit 2.1 - February 23

Today we looked at the evolution of the modern poster, and the contrasting forms it took during the wars as it rose to a pinnacle of importance. We saw how typography took on a materiality and became an expressive element, rather than just a phonetic symbol. We also saw how the DADA movement sought to destroy and break down any traditional thoughts and styles, attacking the relation of the signifier and the signified. Finally, we looked at how Surrealism took hold in DADA's wake, introducing brand new ideas and techniques that would influence modern Graphic Design for years to come.

Some key points that stood out for me today were:

-Graphic Design was no longer limited to any one media.

-The rise of importance for the poster during the period of the wars.

-How different methods of design were employed to evoke similar emotional responses.

-How the relationships of elements in communication were reevaluated, and eventually torn apart.

-Typography becoming a physical form as well as a verbal form.

-How Cubism and Futurism came together to pave the way for modern Graphic Design.

-How the foundations for Postmodernism were laid in the DADA movement as it sought to destroy all things traditional.

-How DADA gave way to Surrealism, expanding on the ideas for how signification could occur.

-How the influences of DADA and Surrealism carried over to influence modern editorial design and propaganda.

As a fan of political satire and expressive typography, I found it intriguing to see how the letterforms of type were pushed beyond their phonetic roots into the realm of concrete shapes by the various Avant Garde movements, and how the practice of modern satire took it's shape. It's also interesting to see how many forms of expression we take for granted today as "the norm" were once pioneered by individuals rebelling against the standards of their time. This has given me a new appreciation for the background behind some of these expressive forms and techniques.